I’m deborah

Your Guide on this Journey

Hire Me Now  

Associate Attorney

December 2003-May 2005
Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy, LLP
  • Assisted in all aspects of a general litigation practice
  • Prepared a traumatic brain injury case for trial, including preparing and presenting witnesses for deposition; arguing motions at hearings and at the pre-trial conference; preparing discovery responses and 30-day supplementations, trial exhibit lists, motions in limine, proposed jury charge, witness preparation; assisting with developing trial strategy; assuring compliance with docket control order; and assisting at trial
  • Responsible for preparing two multi-plaintiff toxic tort cases (ethyl acrylate and creosote) for hearings and trial
  • Drafted motions for summary judgment based on gross negligence/malice, exemplary damages, statutes of limitation, lack of scientific evidence (Daubert/Robinson/Havner), lack of duty
  • Conducted preliminary witness interviews; prepared and presented witnesses for depositions; conducted witness depositions; assisted with preparing and reviewing witness reports
  • Drafted requests for and responses to discovery, including production, interrogatories, admissions, and disclosures
  • Conducted document review and selection, including developing trial exhibits in three document intensive cases
  • Ordered, reviewed, and drafted reports on medical records in toxic tort cases involving ethyl acrylate, creosote, and silica
  • Researched various legal issues and drafted memoranda and motions on topics including FELA, sole proximate cause, Texas discovery issues, expert admissibility issues, and statutes of limitation
Houston, Texas

Summer Clerk

May 2002-July 2002
Royston, Rayzor, Vickery, & Williams, L.P 
  • Law Student Clerk (Admiralty/Maritime)
Houston, Texas

Intern

May 2001-August 2001
The Honorable William J. Cook
  • Civil Court Judicial Internship
Hall of Justice, Camden, New Jersey

Research Assistant

June 2001-August 2001
Professor Jo Anne Durako
  • Research Assistant
Rutgers School of Law, Camden, New Jersey

Student Assistant

September 1998-December 1999
Dr. W. M. von Zharen
  • Confidential/Research Assistant & Office Manager
Texas A&M University, Galveston, Texas

Publications, Presentations, and Programs

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing elitr, sed diam nonumy eirmod tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua.

OutSmart Magazine’s Gayest & Greatest 

Voted Gayest & Greatest Female Attorney (various Family, Estate, & Probate) by OutSmart Magazine’s readers (2018-2025)  

Alternative Dispute Resolution: Mediation Preparation

Co-presented Alternative Dispute Resolution: Mediation Preparation for Toolkit.law International CLE Webinar 2025

New Immigration World for LGBTQ+ Families

Co-presented New Immigration World for LGBTQ+ Families for the State Bar of Texas Paralegal Division’s Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar (October 2024)

Subversive Advocacy for Chosen Families in Unfriendly Territory

Co-presented Subversive Advocacy for Chosen Families in Unfriendly Territory for the National LGBTQ+ Bar’s 2024 Annual Lavender Law Conference (July 2024)

Subversive Advocacy for Chosen Families in Unfriendly Territory

Published Subversive Advocacy for Chosen Families in Unfriendly Territory (July 2024)

I truly am a diamond in the rough!

Published I truly am a diamond in the rough!, EPAHgramme, Vol 41, Issue 6 (June 2025)

LGBTQ, Surrogacy and Other Modern Families

Co-presented LGBTQ, Surrogacy and Other Modern Families for the State Bar of Texas’ CLE: The Intersection of Immigration and Family Law (April 2024)

Meet Texas’ Second Lady Bird

Published Meet Texas’ Second Lady Bird, EPAHgramme, Vol 40, Issue 4 (April 2024)

LGBTQ, Surrogacy and Other Modern Families

Co-presented LGBTQ, Surrogacy and Other Modern Families for the State Bar of Texas’ CLE: The Intersection of Immigration and Family Law (April 2023)

Your Fabulous Family: Adoption, Surrogacy & Beyond

Presented Your Fabulous Family: Adoption, Surrogacy & Beyond for the HYLA LGBTQ+ Committee  (November 2022)

We Are Family: Navigating Adoption Within the Pride Community

Presented We Are Family: Navigating Adoption Within the Pride Community for the Harris County Law Library (October 2022)

Benefit Corporations

Discussed Benefit Corporations at Own Your Voice Strategy Firm’s 2nd Annual Own Your Voice Summit (October 2019)

The Importance of Allyship for Marginalized Groups

Moderated The Importance of Allyship for Marginalized Groups panel at the Houston Bar Association’s 2019 Diversity Summit (July 2019)

Legal Entities

Presented Legal Entities at HCC’s Women Entrepreneurs Bootcamp (October 2018)

Legacy Planning 101

Presented Legacy Planning 101 for Edward Jones client events (2018 & 2019)

Jones Act Negligence and LHWCA 905(b) Vessel Negligence

Drafted two maritime chapters (Jones Act negligence and LHWCA 905(b) vessel negligence) for the planned 2009 Federal Causes of Action in Jones McClure’s O’Connor’s Series (remains unpublished)

OPA ’90 Regulatory Chart

Revised and drafted additional material for state OPA ’90 regulatory chart in De La Rue/Anderson’s Shipping & the Environment, 2d ed.

Fourth Amendment Searches – With Liberty and Justice for All. . . Unless You Choose to Fly: Torbet v. United Airlines, Inc.

Published Fourth Amendment Searches – With Liberty and Justice for All. . . Unless You Choose to Fly: Torbet v. United Airlines, Inc., The Journal of Air Law and Commerce, Vol. 68, Summer 2003, 647-654

An Essential Pollution Regulatory Update

Planned and coordinated Gard’s corporate seminar: “An Essential Pollution Regulatory Update”

Excellence in Law – Excellence in Life

Planned and coordinated the Texas Women Lawyers’ continuing legal education conference: “Excellence in Law – Excellence in Life.” (2008)

The meaning of JUDGE: Finding YOUR Place on the Bench

Planned and coordinated the Association of Women Attorneys and Texas Women Lawyers’ continuing legal education seminar: “The meaning of JUDGE: Finding YOUR Place on the Bench.” (2007)

NON-PROFIT BOARDS AND 
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston (2015-2025)

President (2018-23; 2024-25); Secretary (2017-18)

Executive Professionals Association of Houston (2020-2025)

Trustee  (2021-2024​)

Houston Bar Association (2023-2024)

Ex Officio Director

Houston Bar Association Auxiliary (2023-2024)

President 

Houston Bar Association Auxiliary Charitable Fund (2021-2023, 2025-2027)

Director

Houston Bar Association LGBTQ+ Committee (2019-2023)

Coaching Circles Co-Chair (2019-21), Pride Sub-Committee Chair (2026), End-of-Life Sub-Committee

Houston Aggie Women (2019-2021)

Director

Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce (2017-2019)

Founding Director; Secretary (2017-18)

Lambda NextGen Houston (2015-2019)

Attorney & Registered Agent

Miss Texas Pageant Inc. (2014-2017)

Director

Miss Texas Scholarship Foundation (2014-2017)

Secretary                                                                                 

Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (2011-2013)  

Volunteer Attorney

Lighthouse Animal Foundation (2009-2025)

Director

Lone Star Veterans Association (2009-2010)

Treasurer & Development Chair (2009)

Federation of Houston Professional Women (2008-2009)

AWA Delegate

Houston A&M Club (2007-2019)

President (2013), VP Membership (2014-17), VP Activities (2010-12)

Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (2007-2011)

VP - Houston Chapter (2009-11)

Association of Women Attorneys (2007-2010)

Director (2008-09), Treasurer (2009-10), Job Eblast Editor (2007-09)  

AWA Foundation (2007-2010)

Vice-Chair (2008), Treasurer (2008-09), Trustee (2008-09), Webmaster (2009)

Texas Women Lawyers (2007-2008)

Vice President (2008), Secretary (2007), Newsletter Editor

EDUCATION

Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law May 2003

J.D. cum laude, May 2003 
Visiting Student, 2001-2002

GPA: 3.356          (Top 10%: 3.376) (“A” grades in Admiralty Directed Research, Oil & Gas Law, Oil & Gas Contracts, 
25 of 222              Oil & Gas/Environmental Law, International Environmental Law, Jurisprudence, Computer Crimes and Litigation,
                              Microsoft Antitrust Response Paper) 

Honors:                Selected for Publication as a finalist in the Journal of Air Law & Commerce’s Case Note Competition (Fall 2002);
                              Dean’s List (Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring 2003); Monteith Inn of Phi Delta Phi; Who’s Who in American Law
                              Schools (2001-03) 

Scholarships:       Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Society’s Joe Rudd Scholarship (2002-03); Energy & Mineral Law Foundation
                               Scholarship (2002-03)

Activities:             Judge John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Team (2002-03); SMU Student Senate Environment Chair (2002-03);
                              SMU Law Review Association (includes the Journal of Air Law & Commerce) (2002-03); International Law Society
                              (2001-03) – Dallas Bar Association Liaison (2002-03); Board of Advocates (2002-03); Environmental Law Society
                              (2001-02); Asian American Law Student Association (2002-03); SMU BOA Client Counseling Competition (2003);
                              Westlaw Student & Campus Representative (2002-03)

Dallas, Texas

Rutgers School of Law 

J.D. Student, 2000-2001

GPA: 3.500          (“A” grades in Contracts, Legal Research and Writing, Moot Court)

Honors:                ​Rutgers Dean’s List (Fall 2000); Who’s Who in American Law Schools (2000-01)

Scholarships:       High Achievement Promise Scholarship (2000-01)

Activities:            ​Environmental Law Society (2000-01) – Secretary; Asian/Pacific American Law Student Association (2000-01);
                              Invited to join Rutgers’ Law Review (2001)

Camden, New Jersey

Texas A&M University - Galveston  

Bachelor of Science (Ocean & Coastal Resources), 1998-99

Activities:            ​Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network Volunteer

Galveston, Texas

Texas A&M University - College Station May 1992

Bachelor of Business Administration (Management), May 1992

Honors:                ​​Sigma Iota Epsilon (National Management Honor Society); Phi Eta Sigma (Freshman Honor Society);
                              Distinguished Student in the Department of Management

Scholarships:       Baumberger; Ellison; Campbell; Alamo Heights High School PTSA

College Station, Texas